San Francisco Requires New Buildings to Install Solar Panels

San Francisco Requires New Buildings to Install Solar Panels

San Francisco will be passing an ordinance in early 2017 stating that new buildings must install solar panels. Buildings with more than ten floors, however, are exempted. This ordinance will be passed in addition to existing California law that states that new buildings dedicate at least 15 percent of their rooftop as “solar ready” so they are readily equipped for solar panel installation. Soon, some 50,000 solar panels may potentially be added to households all over the state in an aggressive move towards furthering the green energy initiative.

Solar energy opens a world of possibility; reducing the costs of gas and electricity and diverting carbon monoxide emission into the atmosphere. People are turning to solar power due to the rising energy costs and the desire to save the planet’s resources too. Solar 360 provides effective solutions for harnessing solar energy for your domestic or industrial use. We will do a custom solar installation on your home or business at a competitive rate.

San Francisco has had a long-standing goal of one day being able to provide the entire city with power that is generated completely from solar energy. It is quite appealing to the residents that they contribute to the preservation of their environment as well as the surrounding ecosystems while enjoying the free energy provided by the sun. Many residents in the San Francisco area agree that the investment in solar energy is well worth it when compared to the effect that traditional energy production has on our environment.

San Francisco’s city supervisor Scott Weiner stated,”Activating underutilized roof space is a smart and efficient way to promote the use of solar energy and improve our environment.” He goes on to say,”We need to continue to pursue aggressive renewable energy policies to ensure a sustainable future for our city and our region.”

The legislation promoting San Francisco’s move towards cleaner energy states in great detail the need for cleaner energy options like solar energy:

“As a coastal city located on the tip of a peninsula, San Francisco is vulnerable to sea level rise, and human activities releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere cause increases in worldwide average temperature, which contribute to melting of glaciers and thermal expansion of ocean water — resulting in rising sea levels.

“San Francisco is already experiencing the repercussions of excessive CO2 emissions as rising sea levels threaten the City’s shoreline and infrastructure, have caused significant erosion, increased impacts to infrastructure during extreme tides, and have caused the City to expend funds to modify the sewer system.”

Not everyone is excited about San Francisco’s new ordinance. Some see it as just more red tape to have to maneuver through in order to go forward with construction in the city. Others feel that the new legislation won’t hinder new construction much at all seeing as though it only applies to buildings that are under 10 stories tall. Most of the newly constructed buildings are much higher, so they would not be affected.

There are supporters and there are opposers, but the one thing everyone can agree on is the fact that solar energy is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to traditional energy production.